Revs make final cuts to their roster

The York Revolution released pitchers Nick Schumacher, Wade Korpi and Joe Testa on Wednesday before the team's final spring training practice.

The team also placed relief pitcher Pedro Liriano on the inactive list.

With the moves, York now has 25 players on its active roster. Atlantic League clubs are allowed to carry a maximum of 27 players through June 1, when active rosters have to be cut down to 25.

The Revs begin their 2013 regular season at 6:30 Thursday night at Sovereign Bank Stadium against Bridgeport.

Schumacher, 27, is arguably the most notable cuts of the bunch. The right-handed starter was set to make his return to York after last pitching for the Revs in 2011, when he helped the team win its second consecutive Atlantic League championship.

Schumacher went 3-2 with a 2.37 ERA in seven starts for York in 2011, including a 1-1 mark and a 1.31 ERA in two playoff starts. The most impressive start was a complete-game, eight-inning, one-run performance at Long Island in Game 1 of the Atlantic League Championship Series in a 1-0 loss to the Ducks.

Mason wanted to use Schumacher in the starting rotation, but Schumacher arrived in York shortly after pitching for Team Spain in the World Baseball Classic, where he was used as a reliever. Mason left the door open that Schumacher could return to York in the future.

"I told him that. I said 'You know how this works, Nick. This isn't the end. A month from now I could be looking for pitchers for various reasons. So if you want to continue to play, go get yourself ready (to start) and if something comes up, I'll call you. You'll be my first call,'" Mason said.

Korpi, 27, is a former Miami Marlins' prospect who went 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA in 15 relief appearances and three starts for York a year ago.

Testa, 27, was set to make his Atlantic League debut with the Revs after spending the first five years of his pro career as a prospect of the Minnesota Twins and Washington Nationals. As a Nats' prospect last season, Testa posted a 5.17 ERA in 29 relief appearances at Class High A Potomac and a 8.31 ERA in five appearances at Class AA Harrisburg.

Liriano is a former big leaguer who collected an 8-3 record and 2.43 ERA in 29 games (five starts) for the Sugar Land Skeeters last season. Liriano, a Dominican Republic native, has yet to arrive in York. The team is still dealing with his visa issues.

Rule changes: Atlantic League executive director Joe Klein, who oversees the umpiring in the league, said league officials recently cut back on some rule changes to speed up the pace of games. Klein declined to go into detail on the rules, but said the league is going to issue a news release in the coming days on them.

Mason said Wednesday most of the rules previously discussed, such as the 90 seconds between each half inning and 12 seconds between pitches, are staying. But he said there will be no limits on mound visits.